Honourtale: Snippets of Life
by Arbmaster 16
Summary: This is a collection of events that occur in Honourtale. They could range from Underground-wide catastrophes, to personal stories, to a stroll in the woods. Even the most mundane things can be spiced up with a coffee or twenty.
1. The Fish That Could

**Greetings all.**

 **It's been a long time since I've uploaded anything, but here we are. I wrote an update on my profile, in case anyone wanted to give that a quick look. Basically, I'm thinking of writing Undertale stuff, specifically my AU and my own characters. They've actually been established and their stories fleshed out for quite a while, just not on here. Still, I thought I'd write and upload this to 'test the waters' so to speak. I know how vocal the Undertale fandom can be, both good and bad, so I just wanted to see how this does before going any further.**

 **With that out of the way, I hope you enjoy his little snippet of life in Honourtale.**

 **Arby**

 _ **Undertale was created by Toby Fox.**_

 _ **Honourtale was created by me.**_

* * *

The time was 11:50pm and Undyne was practically dancing towards the Captain's house in Sandfall with excitement in every step. Today was going to be the day, even though it was the middle of the night.

She only stopped her mad sprint when she was outside of his house, her knuckles knocking loudly upon his door as if it was the final barricade between Undyne and her dreams. The tall fish hopped on the spot as she waited for him to answer. After nearly five minutes, the door opened up slowly to reveal a very tired skeleton. He stared down at her as if silently asking what in the hell she was doing at his house at such an hour.

"May I help you?" He asked after a moment. Papyrus was the master of being patient with people. He had to be considering his job and title. That being said, he was not a guy you would want to see angry. He fought his way to the top of the Guard all on his own, until he finally reached it after the previous Captain retired. Messing with him would be a death sentence on its own.

"I wanna join the Royal Guard!" She spoke enthusiastically, both hands clenched and with a smug grin upon her face. Papyrus let out a loud yawn as he rubbed his eye sockets.

"You realise what time it is, don't you?" He asked, knowing the answer already considering how wide awake she was.

"Time to train, Captain!" She stood straight and gave him a salute. Papyrus let out a quiet sigh and gave her a tired smile.

"Goodnight." He spoke quietly as he closed the door on her and went back to bed. Undyne blinked a little. She felt disheartened, but for only a moment.

"Wait... is this a test?!" She called out, only to get no response in return. "Don't worry, Captain! I won't let ya down!" She stood proudly as the hours went by, determined to get into the Guard one way or another.

 _The Next Morning..._

Papyrus was awake bright and early, heading downstairs once he was dressed in his armour to have a quick bite to eat. He looked over the schedule, which he kept on the wall in his kitchen, as he made a few slices of toast. He gave a nod once his brain had caught up, finishing his first slice of toast and placing the other in his mouth as he picked up his helmet and keys, heading for the door.

It swung open and he was about to walk outside, only to nearly crash into the tired fish that was still stood there. Her smile was gone for the most part, at least, until she saw him again that is.

"Good morning, Captain!" She greeted, doing her absolute best to keep her exhaustion hidden.

"You're... still here?" Papyrus asked, the slice of toast now in his free hand as his jaw hung in disbelief. Undyne nodded.

"Yep! I knew this was a test, and I wasn't gonna fail! I don't fail anything!" Papyrus had to admit that she was dedicated, though he did silently question her intelligence. "So, did I pass?" Her voice had the slightest hint of desperation to it. Papyrus felt a little guilty, but then again, she didn't have to stand outside of his door all night. Nonetheless, she _had_ done it and he was quietly impressed.

"Indeed you did. But that does not mean you are in the Royal Guard." He told her with a small smile. "What it does mean however, is that I will test your fighting prowess personally to see if you are skilled enough to be a knight under my command." Undyne could have exploded with joy at that very moment, if she wasn't utterly exhausted. Simple yelling would have to do.

"OH MY GOD! REALLY?! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I SWEAR I WON'T LET YOU DOWN!" She danced around a bit, though her balance was a little off from standing still for so long.

"I certainly hope not. For now however, your mission is to go home and get some sleep. You cannot possibly train without a decent amount of rest. Understood?" The fish trainee nodded and gave a final salute.

"You got it, Captain Papyrus, sir!" She then, after nearly falling over entirely, burst into a sprint and headed back home to Burnin. Papyrus was left there with various thoughts and questions, all of which he couldn't answer right now. The armoured skeleton locked the door behind him and rushed off to report in to the Royal Guard Headquarters. He hoped that he wouldn't be late. Papyrus was never late.


	2. New Addition Part 1

**Greetings, all.**

 **Here I am with another Honourtale snippet. So, this turned out to be a lot longer than I thought it would be. As a result, I've split it into 2 parts. I'll upload the second one when it's ready. For now, here's part 1.**

 **I also wanted to thank those of you that have read this and those of you that have reviewed. I appreciate your words and they put a smile on my face. There's no schedule or anything. I'll write and upload at my own pace so that I don't burn out again.**

 **Anyway, enough chatting. Enjoy some skelebros.**

 **Arby**

* * *

It had been just a few weeks after Papyrus' encounter with Undyne. Since then, he had been assessing her daily to see what she was capable of. As of now, he could see potential, and lots of it. He had no doubt that she would be a valuable knight of the Royal Guard some day. However, she needed a lot of guidance. Her magic, while powerful, was untamed like a wild beast. She needed to learn restraint and how to keep a level head during times of stress. Papyrus, being able to pick up on even the smallest details, had noticed her anxiety. It was always present before their sessions started, and lasted until about ten or fifteen minutes in when she was able to focus and her nerves were left forgotten. While this was better than most recruits, it still was not good enough. A job such as this could always lead to dangerous situations. You had to be ready at a moments notice, and sometimes, less than that. The Captain had not told her of this, in the hope that as time went on, she would adjust and become comfortable on her own.

Today's session had just ended, and with a slight hiccup too, as a spear went through one of his windows. While not happy about it to begin with, Papyrus knew he could pay someone to fix it. He wasn't exactly the poorest Monster, quite the opposite actually. Still, after about a dozen apologies, Undyne went home. Papyrus however, was exhausted. He was hoping his body would have adjusted to the extra workload by now. No such luck. If anything, it seemed to be getting worse. He barely had the time to cook himself dinner before passing out until his alarm rudely awoke him every morning at 5:30am. He needed to act before it got out of hand. With this in mind, he went to pay a visit to his brother.

Coldland was exactly what you'd expect, given the name. It was a land of freezing temperatures and unforgiving, icy surfaces. Safety barriers were everywhere around here in order to stop any poor souls from sliding off the edges of the carefully carved walkways and plummeting down to their deaths upon the frozen ocean beneath. If that wasn't enough, the occasional stalactite would crash from the cavern's ceiling. Thankfully, no one has been hurt or killed by one... not yet at least.

Papyrus glided gracefully along the icy path and into the Lab, almost as if he was on some kind of conveyor belt. A blast of warm air greeted him as he went inside, the automatic door sliding shut behind him. Sans was on his couch, laying across it with a ketchup bottle in his hand as he watched his computer screen. Papyrus smirked as he took his helmet off, knowing exactly what he was watching.

"Like a moth to a flame." The taller skeleton commented, causing Sans to fall off the couch and nearly throw ketchup everywhere. Thank Alphys for blue magic.

"could've knocked, ya know?" Sans spoke as he got up, placing the ketchup bottle on his desk.

"A little difficult when you're sent flying in here due to the damn ice." Papyrus argued, still smirking at his brother. "Watching Grillby on Glitch again, I see?" Sans shot him a glare.

"yeah, so? it's not like i have a tv to watch him on. he's good entertainment, bro." He spoke in his usual, laid-back tone. Papyrus nodded along, wanting to tease him further but not having the energy to do so. "been a while, pap. _ice_ to see ya again." The shorter skeleton commented once he had composed himself, but he was no idiot. He could tell immediately that something just wasn't quite right with his brother. "you ok?"

"Not entirely." He began, pacing around the lab in an effort to keep himself awake more than anything else. "I assume you know about me taking Undyne under my wing?" Sans nodded.

"yup. though, she tells me pretty much everything. what about it?" He asked, his hands in the pockets of his lab coat now.

"Well, you know how my duties tire me out already. It's only gotten so much worse with this." He stopped, tapping his chin for a moment before shaking his skull. "No, that's not it. If anything, training Undyne is one of the easier parts of my day. It's patrolling. It takes up so much time and energy." He let out a sigh, followed closely by an unintentional yawn. "I have to go from the Capital to Burnin every day and ensure that all is well. Sure, it is only brief visits and I'm not stationed permanently anywhere like many of the Guards are, but at least they get to stay in roughly the same spot. I have to cross the length of the Underground and back again every single day. Thing is however, I don't want to _just_ stop by. I want to talk to people. I want to get to know those that I protect, but I just don't have the energy or the time to do it." He finally stopped pacing and turned to his brother with a serious expression. "I want to be stronger, Sans. I want to be better than my current magic levels are letting me." The skeletal scientist was at a loss, but soon enough, he slowly began to shake his skull in realisation.

"oh no no no no no. you're not seriously suggesting that i test my 'project' out on ya, right?" He asked, his face now one of great concern.

"That is exactly what I am suggesting. I know you've been working on it whenever you get a free moment, but I also know that you haven't tested it on a Monster yet." Now Sans was the one pacing around as Papyrus watched him.

"pap, this stuff is still highly unpredictable, even if i have 'watered it down' to the point of being almost harmless. the odds of you getting the desired result are..." He trailed off for a brief moment. "it doesn't matter. i'm not about to put you through that."

"So, what? I'm just supposed to keep going until I dust from sheer exhaustion? I can't keep this up, Sans, and I can't just neglect my duties either. I worked damn hard to get where I am and I am not about to give it up!" Sans was shocked into stillness from his brother's sudden outburst. He weighed out his options in his mind, the pair of them remaining silent until Sans let out a long sigh.

"first off, you tell no one, and i mean _**no one**_ about this, got it? the fact that i'm even considering it is putting my damn job on the line." Papyrus nodded. "second, i'm gonna have to have you sign some things first. legal work and all that crap, ya know?" Another nod from the taller sibling as Sans went to get the papers from his filing cabinet in the corner, and a pen from his desk, before approaching and handing them to him. "read that carefully, bro. i wanna make sure you understand everything." Papyrus sat down and took his time reading it, though with his current tired state, it took him a while.

By the time he was done, nearly an hour and a half later, Sans was curled up on the couch next to him, taking a nap that made Papyrus envious. He wanted to nap too. Once signed, Papyrus shook his brother awake.

"alright, alright..." He groaned as he got up. "lay down on the couch, ok? just in case somethin' happens and you collapse or..." He trailed off as he went to get a sample of his 'project'. He came back in a few anxious minutes later with a syringe in hand. Papyrus had at least gotten comfy on the couch. So comfy in fact, that he had dozed off during his brother's absence. Sans, being the good sibling that he is, took a picture of Papyrus asleep so that he could tease him about his laziness later. Only afterwards does he wake him and remind him of what's going on.

The skeleton knight took a deep breath and nodded, signalling that he was ready.

"in order for this to work properly, i'm gonna have to inject it into your soul directly. could you bring your soul out for me, please?" Papyrus does as he's told, using his magic to summon his soul from the safety of his sturdy ribcage. It shines brightly within the palms of his large, armoured hands. An upside down heart, glowing brightly with the colour of an intense sunset. Bravery. A fitting trait for one such as him. Sans takes a moment to appreciate him, and to steady his hand. After a quick exchange of 'I love you's', Sans pierces Papyrus' soul with the needle, the end slowly sinking deeper before he injects the substance into it. He pulls the syringe out once its contents are entirely emptied. There's a moment of tense silence before the shorter sibling speaks.

"how're you feeling?" The Captain glanced around, shrugging a little before saying anything.

"I... I feel no different. I still feel just as tired as before and- whoa..." He freezes, causing Sans to suddenly go alert.

"what? what is it, pap?" He gets no response, at least, not in the form of words. Both of Papyrus' eye sockets burst into an inferno of fiery orange magic, causing Sans to jump back with a fright. He falls to the floor, writhing around as agony floods his bones. Sans tries to restrain him with blue magic, but the sheer amount of power outclasses him on every level. Papyrus can't comprehend what is happening any more. All he knows is that he's shaking violently against his will and that the tile floor was cold. So damn cold.

Before he could think of the words to explain what was happening, everything went dark.


	3. New Addition Part 2

**I was somehow able to write this despite Halloween, my birthday, Delta Rune, and being sick (on my birthday I might add. My luck sucks). You played Delta Rune yet? The music is awesome!**

 **Anyway, I won't ramble. Here's part 2. Enjoy.**

 **Arby**

* * *

"yeah, yeah..." Came Sans' voice as Papyrus awakened. "i'll keep an eye socket on him, queeny. Uh, sorry, bad habit." Well, that answered the inevitable question of who he was talking to. He groaned as his energy returned to him and the grogginess began to wear off. "oh, i gotta go. later, your highness." Sans finished as he hung up and approached him. "mornin' bro. how're ya feelin'?"

"I feel- Wait, morning?!" Papyrus yelled a bit louder than he intended. The shorter sibling nodded.

"yup. you passed out after the um... experiment. you were out- _cold_ all night and now it's 11am." Sans explained, only for Papyrus to sit up in a panic.

"11am?! I need to get to the-"

"nope." Sans interrupted, placing a hand on his brother's chest and forcing him to lay back down. "i called alphys, told her you were sick and couldn't do your captain stuff today."

"But you _just_ got off the phone with her. My shift usually starts at 7am sharp! That means it has been FOUR HOURS and the Guard-"

"would you relax? the guard isn't a bunch of baby bones, ya know. i'm sure that they can cope perfectly fine on their own for a day or two." Sans reassured, tucking the blanket back around Papyrus. "anyway, you didn't answer me before. how're ya feeling?"

"I feel fine." He spoke without even needing to think about it.

"really?"

"Yeah. I feel refreshed and ready to face the day with a more optimistic outlook! Now that I think about it, that was the best night's sleep I've had in a long time! ...Am I dead?" Papyrus suddenly asked, causing Sans to somehow choke on thin air.

"what? no, of course you're not dead. it is strange though. you were in a lot of pain before you passed out, but now you're suddenly fine? hm..." Sans looked at the soul monitor that his brother was hooked up to. All his stats had been improved significantly and his HP was full. No sign of trouble anywhere. This baffled him as he placed a hand on his chin. "well, i don't really know what else to say, other than i think it worked."

"It worked?" Papyrus asked, his skull tilting a little to the side.

"yup. your stats are higher than i've ever seen them and your soul is stronger than ever. seems like a win-win to me, bro." He carefully unhooked him from the monitor and put it away, allowing Papyrus to sit up and stretch his bones. "however..." Sans continued as he went over to make tea for them both.

"I don't like the sound of that 'however'." Papyrus admitted, narrowing his eye sockets. "What is it?"

"while you were out, your magic started doing something weird." He went quiet for a minute, before coming back and handing him a mug. Papyrus stared up at him for a moment before speaking.

"Are you going to elaborate on that or...?"

"oh right. look over there." Sans nodded to near his desk. Papyrus looked over, only to see several, old desktop towers arranged into some kind of makeshift bed. The tall skeleton rubbed his eye sockets and looked again. Yep, there was no doubt. Asleep on top of the towers, was a small, skeletal...

"Sans, what is that?" Papyrus asked, never having seen anything like this before.

"my first guess was either a dog or a cat of some kind, but..." He trailed off, placing his tea on the desk and picking the strange creature up. It slowly awoke in Sans' hands, the being so small that it was just barely larger than them. It let out a high-pitched yawn and stretched its legs and... wings? "no cat or dog i've ever seen has wings, so that went out the window." Sans finished. Papyrus was stunned.

"That, and cats and dogs aren't skeletal either. Its skull looks like one of my blasters." He added as Sans came back over and placed the thing in his lap. "What are you doing!? I don't know what this thing is!" He tensed up, but the small creature just stared up at him happily with wide eye sockets.

"well, your magic made it, pap. i guess it was a side-effect? i can't be sure. either way, i dunno how we're gonna explain this to anyone that sees it. can you get rid of it like you do you magic attacks?" Papyrus tried his best, but the creature didn't go away. It didn't even seem to care as it began to chase its own tail.

"Maybe it is a dog, but a breed we haven't seen before." Papyrus suggested after it made itself dizzy and fell off the couch with a small thud. "It certainly has the intelligence of one." He added, watching as the little creature ran towards Sans' prized chemistry table.

"oh no. don't you dare go near that!" Sans yelled, likely running faster than he had done in years just to pick it up and give it back to Papyrus.

"Don't you have a book or something about strange creatures? You're the smart one of the family."

"uh..." He went over to his bookshelf and ran his finger along until he found it: a book that Undyne had given him, 'The Big Book of Mythical Creatures'. "this is a start, i guess. it's a book from the surface, so maybe humans know more about different dog species than we do."

"But, dogs aren't mythical creatures." The tall skeleton spoke as he held the small being, which wiggled around within his hands, trying to get away.

"eh." Was his response as he began to look through the pages, skimming over many of them until he came to a sudden stop. "hold up, i think we have a winner." He told him as he turned the book around. "look familiar?" The entire left page was a picture of a large, scaled beast. It walked on four legs and had two enormous wings with a long tail that thinned out to a point. Despite the size difference and added features of the picture, this little skeletal creature looked exactly like it.

"I think you've got it, brother. What is it called? I can't read it from here." Sans flipped the book back around and read aloud.

"these beasts are known as dragons." He spoke, reading a bit more to himself before staring at the skeletal dragon with wide eye sockets. "i don't like it, bro. apparently these things can breathe fire, and grow to be... well, too damn big for my liking."

"What am I supposed to do, throw it in the magma of Burnin'? That's awful! I'm going to keep the little guy. If he does grow to be big, then maybe I can tame him and he can fly me around!" The more he talked about it, the more excited he got. This tiny dragon could actually be a huge advantage for him. Given enough work, he could fly him around the Underground, making his daily patrols far more efficient. "I just need to name him." As he said this, the tiny dragon thought it would be a good idea to bash his skull into Papyrus'. "Ow!" He placed him down and rubbed the sore spot. "That hurt you know." Sans chuckled.

"heh, he causes quite an _impact_ , right bro?" Papyrus froze at the pun, but then smiled.

"Perfect!"

"uh, what?" Sans asked, suddenly confused as he placed the book back on his shelf.

"His name shall be Impact! Impact the Blaster Dragon!" Sans was there in complete bewilderment, even mentally questioning if this was all some coffee-induced nightmare or something.

"pap, i don't think-"

"No time to waste! Your training must begin immediately!" Papyrus picked Impact back up and sprinted for the door. "Thank you, brother!" He yelled as he left. The shorter sibling needed a minute or two just to comprehend what had happened.

"...uh, later bro." He said despite there being no one there now. He shook himself from his trance and decided to get on with the mountain of paper work that was on his desk. Wait, he was working? Yep, today was a weird day.


	4. Head in the Clouds

**Hey! I'm alive! No, I didn't forget about this. The short answer is that I've had some personal stuff going on in my life that obviously needed to come first. Honestly, said personal stuff is still going on, it's just that it has settled down a bit.**

 **On a plus note though, I changed the cover picture of this so it actually shows Papyrus and Impact, but only his skull (yeah, he was too large to fit him entirely). Though, that's an old drawing I did of them. I want to change his helmet design a bit, make it more... bad-ass? I don't know yet.**

 **Anyway, enjoy the chapter and I will see you all I don't know when.**

 **Arby**

* * *

It was as if Papyrus had come home with a toddler. Impact was a handful and needed to be kept an eye socket on at all times. The small dragon ran around with boundless energy and wasn't exactly the brightest as he ran into things regularly and knocked things over with his tail. There was never any time for a break with him either, not even at night where he would always try to sleep on the bed, in which the Captain firmly said 'no' for two hours until he gave up and allowed Impact to curl up next to him. Even with Papyrus' new-found energy, Impact was pretty tiring.

One positive however, was that Undyne LOVED him, and would often be over just to take care of the small bundle of bones while Papyrus was busy, either with work or daily chores. On top of that, the dragon seemed to pick up on basic commands too, like sit, roll-over, and paw (even though he had no paws).

Today was a quiet day. Papyrus was home, having a rare, but necessary day off. Impact was having a blast running around the front yard, chasing his own tail as if his little life depended upon it while Papyrus was cleaning the outsides of the windows. The tall skeleton was actually expecting Undyne over at some point, but someone else had decided to pay him a visit instead.

"Good morning, Papyrus." Came the timid voice of a certain nervous monarch. Papyrus' skull snapped in the direction of her voice. It took him a second to realise that this wasn't Undyne, and instead, was Queen Alphys that stood a short distance behind him. He immediately stood to face her fully and gave her a salute.

"Good morning, your highness!" He greeted with a warm smile, which she returned fully with a giggle.

"A-at ease, Pap. I'm j-just on a c-casual visit. I wanted to get out of the castle for a while." She told him. "That, and get some answers on the rumour that I've been hearing about you." Papyrus relaxed, but raised a non-existent brow.

"A rumour?" He questioned, stopping his cleaning for now to pay attention to her. Alphys nodded and then turned to watch Impact.

"A rumour that you h-have a very strange dog living with you." She giggled happily as the little dragon ran up to her and began doing circles around her legs. Papyrus let out a sigh.

"Oh, thank god. I thought it was another one of those romance-related rumours that Grillby likes to make up just to get attention." Papyrus spoke with a small amount of bitterness to his words.

"Oh c-come on. You and Undyne spend s-so much time together. P-people are obviously going to wonder if the tall, strong Captain has his eye sockets on the only Monster in the Underground that he is training personally." Alphys was smirking at him, or at least was trying to whilst holding back laughter.

"...You read it, didn't you?" He asked, causing her smile to vanish whilst under his gaze. Even now, during what would be an embarrassing conversation for anyone else, Papyrus always kept a level-head and never let his true emotions show. It was both a skill and a curse.

"Um... n-no?" She stuttered as a response, but he could read her like a book. "D-don't judge me. I'm a sucker f-for gossip."

"That, and you think that Grillby is..." He let out a sigh, knowing that the pun was inevitable. "hot. Ugh..." Alphys poked Papyrus playfully in the arm.

"Wh-what have you got against Grillby? H-he's great entertainment! He can cook, dance, t-tell the news and sometimes all of them at once!"

"He'll make up any story he can, no matter how ridiculous, and use it to get people to buy his magazine every month and watch his shows every day." Papyrus argued before shaking his skull. "Anyway, didn't you want to know about Impact? How do you always send the conversation down a different path?" The skeleton asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"A-actually, _you_ did, but it doesn't matter." She smiled innocently whilst Papyrus just gave her a look that said 'you win this time'. "But y-you're right, where did this precious, little guy come from?" Now that was a tough question. Papyrus knew where, but couldn't tell Alphys the truth since it could put Sans' career at risk. He had to think of something quick.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure where he came from. I just woke up and he was there. I went to Sans about it and he was just as baffled as I was. After some research though, he found out that he's a kind of dragon, and not a dog or a cat as we first thought." Not quite the truth, but not an absurd lie either. That was enough for Papyrus to be satisfied with it, and Alphys too.

"Poor thing. I'm glad he has such a good owner taking care of him now though. Actually... is he a boy? How can you tell?" Alphys asked, know knelt down and petting the dragon for the few moments he decided to sit still.

"I can't. I've never even thought about it honestly." The Captain told her. "Regardless, I plan to train him so that he can help me with Guard duties. Since he's a dragon, odds are he's going to grow to be enormous. Do you think the castle's outer courtyard would fit him if I were to fly him there once he's big enough?" Alphys stared up at him for a moment, her eyes wide.

"J-just how big is he going to get?" Papyrus could only shrug at the question before turning back around and continuing to clean the windows. Alphys wasn't exactly comforted by the lack of an answer, and made a mental note to visit Sans on her way back to the castle. The Queen's gaze was still upon Papyrus however. There was something different about him. He seemed... larger? Wait a minute... "Papyrus? Did you get taller?" She asked, causing him to stop his cleaning once again and turn to face her.

"I have no idea. I was near enough 6ft last time I checked." Papyrus told her, taking note of how she seemed to be studying him with her gaze now. He wasn't sure how he felt about it, and soon spoke again to distract himself from it. "I'll go and measure myself, just to be sure." He told her before going inside. Alphys patiently waited for him, whilst playing with Impact and giving him lots of attention.

Meanwhile, Papyrus did the usual trick of standing straight with his back to the wall, using a pen to mark where the top of his skull was with a line. He then took a step forward and turned around, only for his jaw to drop. "That cannot be right." He thought to himself as he went to get his tape measure which was in one of the kitchen drawers. The skeleton then placed the zero end to the floor, holding it still with his foot and then moving it up until stopping at the most recent line on the wall. He measured again, and again, and a fourth time just to make absolutely certain, but there was no mistaking it. He had grown from 6ft to 7ft in under a week. Somehow, a young dragon was easier to explain than this.

After a few moments of thought, Papyrus returned outside, informing Alphys of his extra foot in height. She was just a shocked as he was and asked him how it happened, to which he replied that he had no idea, which wasn't entirely the truth. That Determination had improved him in every way, he just didn't think that his height was one of those areas that needed a bit of a boost. He was already taller than almost everyone else, but now he was so tall that he was almost self-conscious about it. Papyrus looked forward to the day where Impact outgrew him, at least then it would make him stand out less.

Despite this new realisation, Papyrus and Alphys spent a few hours just chatting and catching up. They didn't just work together, but were actually very good friends, which only improved when he became Captain and spent more time with her. Soon enough however, Alphys had to return to the castle. They said their goodbyes and hugged it out, with Papyrus lifting her up as he usually did rather than him kneeling down. Alphys loved that though. There was no one else's arms that she felt safer in. After that, she quietly left with him waving her off and Impact nearly following her until Papyrus carried him inside.

All this time however, Sans was being nosy, and watching the encounter from the camera he had in his front yard. While it was at an angle where he couldn't see inside at all, (Papyrus made damn sure of that) he could see his front yard with no problems. His camera systems were supposed to be for security purposes. The Captain of the Royal Guard was a likely target for those wanting to avoid jail time, but Sans was a curious guy and couldn't help but look upon the pair with a questioning look. He observed their behaviour, their body language, the way they spoke to each other, as if they were a science experiment of his. But soon enough, a smug grin crossed his skull as he put the pieces together. He was sure to confront his brother on it the next time he saw him.


	5. The Price of Hope

**Woops, accidentally wrote an entire chapter and uploaded it. I was accidentally productive this week.**

 **Anyway, while I'm here, I owe a long overdue thanks to those of you who have read this and left kind words which, I'll be honest, I've read multiple times and have always made me smile.**

 **So, thanks to Potato, who has left multiple reviews and liked my art. That meant a lot to me and I'm glad that you're enjoying my little story so far! I did want to say something funny about your name, but honestly, I just don't know where to _starch_. I'm so sorry.**

 **I would also like to thank Boop, and whoever the Guest was. I have no idea if you guys or girls are still around, but if you are, hi! Thanks for reading! I appreciate all your words! I'd boop my snake for you, but he's shedding and has an attitude so... I don't want to risk losing my arm if I can help it. He's a big snek.**

 **Anyway, that's enough rambling. Here's another chapter. Enjoy!**

 **Arby**

* * *

It had been almost a week since Alphys had visited, and things were about as normal as one could expect. The Underground was usually quiet, since any trouble that was caused was quickly dealt with by the Royal Guard, led by none other than the most respected skeleton, and beacon of hope to many, Papyrus.

His daily patrol was done with and he was on his way back to the Queen's castle to give his daily report. However, he was sure to stop by Sans' Lab in Coldland. He had called, wanting to give him a check-up to see how his soul and magic were doing after the Determination experiment. Papyrus usually would have postponed it until his next day off, but with the extra foot in height, the now taller skeleton wanted to be sure that no more surprises were lurking within him, like wings or the ability to walk on walls or something crazy like that.

The Lab was about as tidy as Burnin' after an earthquake. Socks and papers were everywhere. Literally. While many were on the floor, some were stuck to the walls, laying on top of furniture... there were even a few strays stuck to the ceiling fan. Papyrus couldn't fathom how his short brother had gotten up there to begin with. Speaking of which, Sans was sat at his desk, typing in some word document while listening to some form of calm jazz to help him focus.

"hey bro. gimme a sec." Sans spoke without even glancing at him.

"How did you know I was here?" Papyrus asked, still looking at the trash heap that was his brother's workspace.

"the magic of hearing." He spoke with a chuckle. Papyrus just shook his skull and went to sit on the couch, taking his helmet off and putting it on the coffee table.

"Will this take long? I still need to report to the Queen." The Royal Captain informed him. Sans was silent for a moment, finishing up his current sentence before saving and turning around on his chair.

"well, it'll take a bit longer than a regular check-up, since there's more i'm gonna be lookin' at. but otherwise, nah. just need to take a soul sample, study it a bit for any changes, and then you're good. shouldn't take more than an hour tops." Papyrus gave him a nod. He had an hour, and Alphys would understand if he was a bit later than usual. Sans got off his seat and went to a locked cabinet where he kept all of his smaller medical equipment. "so, how's you and alphys doin'?" He asked whilst getting out a syringe and walking over to him. The taller sibling seemed a little confused by the question, but answered regardless.

"We're the same as we've always been. Why do you ask?" Papyrus knew the drill by now, and held out his soul so that Sans could take a small sample from it.

"curiosity really. i know you two have been spending way more time together now that you're mister big shot captain and all. you can practically see the admiration glistening in her eyes when she stares up at you." Papyrus' teeth gritted together a bit when the syringe went into his soul. It wasn't agonising pain. If anything, it was just a pin prick, but it was at the most sensitive part of him which was why he reacted at all. It lasted for but a moment before Sans got what he needed and took the needle out before heading to some other machine that Papyrus didn't have the faintest clue about.

"Are you implying something?" He asked once his soul was secure within his ribs once again. Sans had his back to him while he looked at the sample closely, but he knew that damn grin was there.

"you know me, pap. i like askin' questions. i've got a science mind. i gotta question everything, ya know?" Papyrus wasn't convinced that it was _just_ curiosity and that there was a reason behind him asking at all. Sans wanted to know something more than just 'how they were doing'.

"Well, I hate to break it to you, brother, but that's all there is to tell. Alphys is Queen and I am Captain and that is all we shall ever be." He thought that would be the end of it, but he should have known better.

"are ya suuure?" Sans sang, looking over to Papyrus for just long enough to see one of the smuggest grins he had ever worn upon that round skull of his.

"Would you stop?!" Papyrus yelled at him from the couch. Sans just let out a frustrated sigh.

"come on! there is totally something there with you two!" He replied, not at all affected by his brother yelling at him. He was more than used to that. Besides, teasing him was fun. That's what siblings are for, after all. "i've seen how you hug her, pap. you pick her up for starters. i would have just put that down to her being short, but you don't pick me up, so that's strike one." Papyrus leaned back in his seat and folded his arms, knowing that Sans wouldn't shut up until he got his 'theory' out in the open. For now, he put up with it and listened to the reasoning behind Sans' crazy idea.

"You realise that I hardly hug anyone, don't you?"

"there's strike two!" Papyrus rubbed his temples and let out an agitated sigh. He was going to shut up now before he unintentionally threw his brother any more ammunition. "third, i've seen how you relax with her around you. i know you, pap. you're the type who has to keep his guard up around everyone, even me. you let no one in. not a soul can know what goes on in that head of yours. they can never know that you actually have emotions. no one is allowed to truly know you, except her." He had to give his brother some credit, since he was absolutely right about him being so closed-off from others. He had a very important role to play down here. He was the one every child wanted to be like when they grew up. He was the one that every adult respected, and looked to for hope whenever things got difficult. He was the carrier of all of Monsterkinds hopes and dreams. His life had to be put on hold so that others could live theirs without fear. So that Monsters could sleep soundly at night, knowing that tomorrow was going to come.

Papyrus had gone quiet for a moment, his brother's words sinking a bit deeper than he intended. Sans decided to get back to looking at the soul sample, giving the Captain a much needed break to just... think. He had been so caught up in what he was gaining, that he had completely forgotten what he was giving up. Thankfully though, Sans brought him from his thoughts a few minutes later.

"wow, impact is pretty fascinating." Sans spoke, getting his brother's attention.

"Other than that he's a dragon that my magic created?"

"wrong." Papyrus raised a non-existent brow, allowing him to explain. "it's kinda complex. basically, he isn't a product of your magic like your attacks are. but rather, he's a product of your soul directly."

"What's the difference?"

"well, it explains why he's able to exist within that anti-magical barrier around your house." Another form of security in order to keep the Captain safe. The barrier was created by none other than Sans, and stopped magical usage in any form. No attacks, no teleporting into or out of it, no healing. Nothing. Yet Impact was somehow able to exist within this field. It had been a question that had chipped away at Sans' sanity ever since he first realised it. Now though, he had his answer. "it also explains why you can't just de-summon him like you can with your blasters or bones. this does make me wonder though..." Sans trailed off, his hand now on his chin as he thought. Papyrus stayed quiet. "if, let's say, something happened to impact, and he were to dust as a result, would you simply be able to bring him back? or would he be permanently dusted?"

"...Come near my dragon and so help me-"

"sheesh, pap! i'd never do anything like that! i have morals and standards, thank you very much." He gave his younger brother an irritated look. The fact that he'd think he'd even consider doing anything like that was an insult. It hurt him a bit, but to be fair, he'd probably just made his brother have an existential crisis, so he couldn't stay mad at him for long. "anyway..." Sans went on, changing the subject. "everything looks fine. i highly doubt you'll get any taller than that, but if you do, or experience any changes at all, call me immediately, alright?" Papyrus simply nodded as he placed his helmet back over his skull and stood up. He took two steps towards the door before Sans called out to him. "papyrus." There was something about his brother's voice that made him stop in his tracks. He couldn't for the life of him pin down what it was exactly. "i may tease ya at times, but i just want you to be happy. maybe i'm just doing a grillby and doing front flips to every illogical conclusion, but if i'm right..." He paused, causing Papyrus to turn his skull to look at him. His expression was partially hidden behind his helmet, another barrier that kept others from seeing behind his Royal Captain exterior. All that Sans could see was the pair of white eye lights within his eye sockets that were staring directly at him, as well as his mouth which right now, told him next to nothing about what his brother was thinking. "tell her." A long, silent moment lasted between the two as Papyrus truly thought about what had been said to him. Soon enough however, he spoke.

"I chose to become a Royal Guardsman. I chose to rise through the ranks. I chose to become Captain. The reason for all of these things is quite simple: I care for the people down here. I want them to be as happy and feel as safe as they can be whilst spending their lives stuck in, what is basically, an enormous prison. Maybe I didn't think it through entirely, and maybe I didn't consider some things about my life. But, if I have to give up my chances at happiness in order for the people to keep theirs, then so be it." Sans couldn't deny it: his brother was the most selfless person he knew, even if he was stubborn at times. But still, Papyrus was missing something, and Sans had to point it out to him.

"bro, who said you couldn't have both? who said that you can't protect the monsters down here, and then return home to someone who loves you?" Papyrus was silent, as if that very question had caused him to re-think everything he had ever believed in. Sans had no idea what it was that had led his brother to such a one-sided train of thought, but he wanted to at least remind him that he could have good things, whilst still doing good for the people of the Underground. It didn't have to be one or the other.

"I'll... see you later, Sans." Papyrus' voice was a fraction of the volume and confidence that it was when he first got here. Sans didn't know how to feel in that moment, whether he should be hopeful that he'll take his advice, or worried that he'd just caused his brother to close himself off even more. Right now though, he could do nothing for him. This was a decision that Papyrus had to make on his own for his own life. He could make him healthy, but he couldn't make him happy. That was down to him, and him alone. He could only hope that Papyrus would make the right choice.


	6. Water you doing?

**Greetings, all.**

 **Yep, I wrote another chapter. I think this is the most productive I've been in a while. I don't have much to say this time so I'll let you all get to it. One thing though. I read a couple of other fics and saw the use of the phrase 'oh my dog'. I thought that was cute and creative, so I'm gonna try and use that instead of 'oh my god'. It's a small detail, but one I thought would be worth mentioning. I wish I could remember which fic exactly that I saw it, but my memory escapes me right now, sorry.**

 **Okay, chapter time! Enjoy!**

 **Arby**

* * *

It had been a few days since Papyrus had seen Sans, but that doesn't mean that Sans hadn't seen him. Ever since their little discussion, Sans had been keeping his eye sockets on him through his camera system, writing down any changes in his behaviour. So far, he didn't like the path his younger brother was taking. He had no idea if Papyrus was doing it on purpose, or if it was a subconscious reaction, but so far, he had seen no good changes. Papyrus had been avoiding the Lab altogether, had been talking to Undyne only about work-related things and nothing else, and had been avoiding social interaction as much as he could unless his job demanded it of him.

Right now, Sans knew he had a day off, and so was watching the camera near his house like a hawk. That is, until he heard the Lab doors open and his hand launched itself to turn his monitor off before he turned, seeing that it was Undyne.

"I don't think I've ever seen you move that fast. Spying on Pap again, are ya?" Undyne spoke with a chuckle as Sans let out a sigh, turning his monitor back on. She and Sans were actually pretty good friends, often hanging out when other responsibilities didn't get in the way.

"heh, you saw right through me." He smirked at his own pun momentarily before letting out a sigh. "but yeah, i'm gettin' worried. has he said anything else to you?" Undyne shrugged her shoulders before resting an arm on the back of Sans' office chair.

"Barely seen him to be honest, and on the few times that I have, he's only talked about the times and days of when I'm looking after Impact. I swear, it feels like I've divorced the guy and have shared custody of the kid." Sans glanced up at her with a smirk.

"is there somethin' i should know? maybe what grillby wrote about you two was more accurate than he realised." Sans teased, though Undyne knew him well enough to know that he was just messing around. She did it to him all the time about Grillby, so it was only fair.

"Ha! Yeah, and Grillby obviously lays awake, desperately wanting you in his fiery arms." Sans just shook his skull as he stared at the screen, watching Impact bolt around the front yard like a sugar-high child. "He's growing quick, huh? I swear he was the size of a puppy a few weeks ago, and now he's uh... well, bigger than a puppy."

"won't be long before he can't fit in the house." Undyne could see how focused Sans was, trying to see any signs whatsoever that his brother was going to be okay. They may not have been as close as they once were, but that didn't mean either of them cared any less about the other. It's just they both had trouble showing it in person, not that she was any better at it, so she couldn't judge.

"Come on, Sans. You've been at this for days. You need to relax." Undyne told him, pulling his chair away, still with him on it.

"undyne!" The short skeleton whined, folding his arms like a child.

"I don't wanna hear it, bonehead! You're gonna relax even if it kills you!" She moved him to the side and then went over to the couch, lifting it with ease and bringing it over before not-so-gently setting it down so that it was facing the computer screen. "Turn that camera screen off and put on Grillby's show! I'll get a bowl of chips and a drink for each of us." Sans seemed reluctant at first, but his logic told him that both Papyrus and Undyne had the day off, therefore, he should too. He got up from his chair and put the show on, setting it to full screen and turning the volume up before flopping down onto the couch. Once Undyne came back over, Sans pulled the blanket down, which was hanging on the back of the couch, and the pair of them snuggled beneath it as they began to watch what was essentially some tall fire trying to cook a pumpkin pie whilst dancing around the kitchen.

"D'ya think Grillby ever showers?" Undyne asked with a mouthful of chips.

"of course he doesn't. he's fire, water would kill him." Sans told her before taking a sip of his drink, which was a can of soda.

"But then, how does he stay clean?"

"he's fire, undyne. fire. fire can't get dirty." The fish only chuckled at this.

"Yeah right. With those kinds of dance moves, the guy is filthy." Sans laughed along with her for a few moments, though his mind was quick to betray him.

"Do you think Pap will ever be okay?" Undyne fell silent for a few moments before looking at Sans with a worried expression.

"Sans-"

"sorry, i know you want me to relax. hell, i want to relax too. i'm tired of worrying about him, but damn it, i feel like he's only like this because i couldn't keep my mouth shut."

"Hey..." Undyne placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which caused him to turn his skull to look at her. "Just because he's reacting badly, doesn't mean what you said was wrong. Anyone can see it: Papyrus likes Alphys, and by anyone, I mean you and me. The thing is, I don't think he's realised it yet, and what's really bothering him is that you pretty much know him better than he knows himself." She paused for a moment, allowing Sans a chance to speak if he wanted. When he didn't, Undyne continued. "You're an awesome guy, Sans, and you clearly care a lot about your brother. It's just an adjustment phase. He'll get through it just fine. So, don't beat yourself up over it, okay? Otherwise, I'll have to kick your bony butt, got it?" The skeleton couldn't help but smile. Undyne had an odd way of cheering people up, but it worked, so he couldn't complain.

"thanks, bass. you really helped me calm down over _current_ events."

"No pro- Was that a water pun?" Sans said nothing, but the smug grin upon his skull said it all. "You son of a _beach_!" The pair of them went silent for a second before bursting into laughter.

Once Sans had gotten his thoughts out, he seemed to relax more and enjoy the show that Grillby had put on. In turn, this made Undyne feel better too. Seeing her friends happy, made her happy, and when they weren't happy, then she'd take it upon herself to fix it, even though she wasn't the greatest at it at times and would, more often than not, sacrifice a couch or a table or something. Well, except Sans' oh-so-precious chemistry table. No one, and I mean, NO ONE except Sans was allowed to touch it.

"how's your training going anyway?" Sans asked after a while of quietly watching the show.

"It _was_ going great, but once Impact came along, it became clear real quick that we couldn't spar anymore. Impact couldn't be left alone inside the house since he'd likely get into something or destroy half the furniture, and he obviously couldn't be out with us while we sparred for safety reasons. Pap says that once Impact learns a bit of independence, that sparring will start again. He says that I've got the attack and defence to be a Guard no problem. It's just that I need some restraint and a level-head on my shoulders. I'm a bit-well, a lot-reckless and that can be dangerous. I basically need discipline and then I'll be golden." Sans nodded, listening to her words. He would have offered to take care of Impact, but there were two things stopping him. First, Papyrus wasn't exactly talking to him right now, and second, the little bundle of energy always seemed to go for his precious chemistry table. It wasn't worth the risk, or the amount of money he'd need to drop to get it replaced.

"so, you can't attack a lamp just because it looked at you funny?"

"That happened ONCE!" Undyne argued, getting a laugh out of the skeleton sat next to her. "It was a dodgy lamp... didn't like it." She added in a quieter tone.

Their conversation was interrupted however, when the Lab doors suddenly opened. The pair of them looked over the back of the couch to see a towering figure stood in the doorway. It was obvious who it was just from their height alone.

"pap?" Sans was the first to question while Undyne simply sat and stared at the silhouette. He said nothing as he walked in. Once he was under the lights of the Lab however, it was obvious why he had come here at all. Above Papyrus' right eye socket was a nasty crack. Undyne's jaw dropped as she rushed over, taking little Impact from beneath the Captain's arm.

"Oh my dog! What the hell happened to you?!" The tall fish exclaimed as she held the bundle of bones in her arms.

"It's not a big deal." Papyrus tried to calm the situation down. That, and Undyne's booming voice hurt his currently fragile head. "It looks worse than it is. I just need it healed up." Sans, after getting over the initial shock of seeing his brother injured, was now staring at him with his skull tilted to the side a little. "...Sans? Kinda need your help here. Stop staring at me." The shorter skeleton shook himself out of it.

"sorry, bro. you just looked really familiar for a second there. take a seat, i'll get the healing machine." He went into a separate room, wheeling the machine out to the couch before hooking it up to Papyrus' arm and switching the thing on. Slowly, he regained his HP and the crack began to heal. "so... you gonna tell us what happened?"

"It was just a small accident. I was doing some basic magical exercises in the yard, throwing bones for target practice. But of course, Impact distracts me for just a moment and before I know it, I've got a bone lodged in my skull. I de-summoned it and saw that it was too bad to just ignore, but not bad enough where I was in any danger, so I picked up Impact and walked here. I didn't want to teleport in case that made it worse somehow." Papyrus explained while the other two listened. Sans monitored his HP, but didn't relax until it was full and his skull showed no signs of injury.

"there, good as new. can you please be more careful? it feels weird sayin' that to a captain, but you're not invincible." Sans had clear concern in his voice, and Papyrus appreciated it.

"I've learned my lesson: no magical practice with the Underground's biggest distraction. I know that now." The Captain spoke, causing Undyne a bit of confusion.

"But... I wasn't there." The pair of skeletons stared at her for a second. "...Oh, you meant Impact."

"You got there eventually." Papyrus commented with a smirk.

"Shut up! That was like, two seconds!" The fish argued, getting a chuckle out of the other two.

"I thought you'd be a Tori's, eating all her food and drinking all her ketchup."

"nah, that's tomorrow." Sans informed him, getting a nod in return.

"Right. Well, thanks for the healing, Sans. I'll let you two get back to..." He looked, seeing the blanket, half-full bowl of chips and Grillby on the computer screen. "...whatever you were doing." In truth, he didn't want to know. He took Impact from Undyne and headed towards the door, but just like the last time he was here, Sans stopped him.

"bro, wait. what about you? what about what we talked about?" Undyne had an idea of what Sans meant, but kept her mouth shut to avoid potentially pissing anyone off. Papyrus stood still and thought for a moment, not turning back around so that neither of them could see his face.

"I'm fine, Sans. Please, stop worrying about me and my non-existent love life."

"i just want you to-"

"To be happy, I know, and I appreciate the thought, but it's just not something I want to think about right now, okay? I'll figure it out eventually, but not yet."

"alright, alright, but one more question: am I right?" Papyrus knew exactly what his brother was asking while Undyne... needed an extra second. The skeleton Captain didn't say a word, but merely turned his head to look at his brother. He wore no emotion at first, but sure enough, a smile reached across his skull before he turned back around and left. Sans and Undyne looked at each once the door had closed, and the pair of them smirked, giving each other a high-five.

For the rest of their time together, they both were talking about it and what could potentially change if Papyrus and Alphys did hook up. Truly, they were gossips, but it was fun to speculate. It was another few hours before Undyne had to head home. They said their goodbyes before Sans waved her off as she sprinted to get out of Coldland as quick as she could. Sans didn't feel the need to check the cameras again before bed. He felt a sense of hope for the first time in a while, and knew that his brother would be okay.


	7. That Burnin' Feeling

**Greetings, all!**

 **This chapter I found to be more difficult than I thought, and I'm still not sure why. I thought this would be an easier one to write. That being said, this week was... interesting, to say the least, and I'm very tired right now. Still, I wanted to at least upload it, since it was already finished, and then pass out. So, here you are! Happy chapter time!**

 **Arby**

* * *

Today, the quiet came to an end.

While the past few weeks in the Underground had been going smoothly, Papyrus knew it wouldn't last for too much longer.

There was an earthquake today. They are a fairly uncommon occurrence, but still devastating nonetheless. This one however, had been stronger than any of the previous ones based on Sans' readings from the Lab. It was centred in Burnin', the small and usually peaceful town that resided next to a river of magma.

Currently, Papyrus was on his way to report to the Queen about the damage and what was being done to help the locals. Not only that, but he had also been summoned personally, which wasn't a common thing for the Queen to do. This had him both curious and worried. The Captain also had Impact with him, seeing as Undyne was out of commission for now. The small Blaster Dragon was on a leash, running happily alongside the Captain as he jogged into the castle and up to the Throne Room. The Castle Guards all stepped out of the way, saluting the Captain as he ran past, before squealing at how cute little Impact was. Once outside the large doors to the Throne Room, Papyrus took a breath and stepped inside. He closed the doors behind him and turned to look.

Alphys was sat on her throne, which was actually a fair bit larger than she was. Her feet were dangling off the edge of the seat and the armrests were too high for her to rest her arms comfortably upon, so they just rested in her lap instead. The throne itself was in the centre of the large room, on a slightly raised platform with a couple of stone steps leading up to it that were mostly covered by a purple carpet.

Back to the Queen, who was so lost in thought she didn't even hear him enter. She was dressed in her usual royal outfit, with purple robes, the golden crown, all of which had been custom made to fit her perfectly. She only looked up when she heard Impact's leash rattling as he tried to run towards her, only to be held back as the Captain knelt before her and bowed his head. Alphys couldn't hold back a smile upon seeing him. It never seemed to matter what the situation was, Papyrus always brought a smile to her face.

"It is good to see that someone is still carefree during such a time." Alphys spoke, referring to Impact who simply couldn't keep still. Papyrus lifted his head and smiled back at her, letting the leash go so that the bundle of energy could sprint towards her and get lots of pets and attention.

"Indeed, your highness." Papyrus spoke as he stood back up, standing straight and with his hands linked behind his back. "You will be glad to know that there were no casualties, and that my Guards are doing everything they can to clear the debris." He added, hoping to cheer her up a bit. Alphys picked up Impact in her arms, petting the young dragon affectionately as she spoke.

"I am glad, Captain. But I assume there were injuries, yes?"

"There were. Many were minor and were treated on-site. The most serious was a cracked skull and a broken shoulder. The individual is in Greener City Hospital recovering now." Papyrus informed her in a strong and formal tone.

"I heard that Undyne was injured also."

"A broken arm, your majesty. She was reluctant, but eventually went to the hospital for treatment." Alphys nodded and fell silent. Papyrus could tell that something else was on her mind. She seemed more distant than usual, but the tall skeleton wasn't about to let her suffer alone. "If you do not mind me asking; why did you summon me here today? Was it because of the earthquake? Or is there something else plaguing your thoughts?" The short lizard looked up at him, surprised for a moment that he was able to read her so well. But when she thought about it, it made sense. He knew her better than anyone else, likely because he spent more time with her than anyone else. A sad smile crossed her face as she cuddled the small bundle of bones in her arms.

"The earthquake was partially it, yes, b-but it is also because of the situation in Greener City. Everyone is aware of the over-crowding, and I've already ordered for more homes to be built. But..." The Queen fell silent, her gaze falling to Impact as she let out a sigh.

"But... what, your highness?" Papyrus asked, giving her a verbal nudge to continue and letting her know that he was listening to her every word, not only as a good Captain, but also as a good friend.

"I-I fear that it's only a temporary solution. We barely have enough room to build as it is, and it's only going to get worse as time goes on. I'm running out of options. I know very well why it is over-crowding: It's because it's the safest place down here. Coldland has falling stalactites, Sandfall has quicksand pits and Burnin has a river of magma and earthquakes. If I sent people elsewhere then I'd be knowingly sending them into danger, but at the same time, I can't let them all stay in Greener City because other problems will come about. I'm b-being backed into a corner here..."

"Your highness?" Papyrus spoke.

"A-and then we'll run out of r-room entirely and then I'll HAVE to s-send them to m-more dangerous areas..."

"My Queen." Papyrus spoke again.

"Oh g-god, I'd d-do everything I could t-to help them, b-but they'd hate me... th-they'd blame me f-for everything even though-"

"Alphys!" Papyrus shouted, snapping her from her anxious rambling. She stared up at him, her eyes wide with clear tears forming in them. Even Impact had stopped and was now looking at him. The skeletal Captain looked back at her, his face partially blocked by his helmet. "Permission to speak freely?" He asked, his tone stern and almost cold.

"Y-yes..." Alphys replied, her voice fragile and shaky. Papyrus took off his helmet and slowly approached her, kneeling down in front of her throne so that they were near-enough eye level with each other. Her gaze never left him as he moved. With his helmet now in his hand, she could see how much softer his expression now was. His eye sockets showed concern, but a soft, friendly smile remained upon his skull. His voice too, lost its stern edge and softened now that they were in close proximity.

"Let's cut the formal crap for a second. Listen to me, you work your little tail off for the people down here, and they know it. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have safety barriers in Coldland, Sandfall and Burnin'. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have a strong force for justice, and many more people would be getting hurt every day. If it weren't for you, those few homeless Monsters would turn into hundreds, maybe even thousands. Are things perfect? No, because 'perfect' is not a real thing. It doesn't exist. However, that hasn't stopped you using the resources that you have to make the most of this crappy situation. People can live lives, start families, pursue careers despite being trapped in an enormous cave. Monsterkind can forget that we're trapped for now, and focus on being happy. That wouldn't be possible without you. I realise that the positives escape your vision, and you get overwhelmed by the negatives. When that happens, remember that your people love you, and that they understand more than you realise. How do I know this? They tell me. I speak to people every time I'm on patrol and the most common thing I get asked is 'How is Queen Alphys? I hope she is doing well. Please, send her my regards' or something along those lines." Alphys had fallen silent by now, listening as her Captain and closest friend said these words to her. In her mind, she didn't deserve the love that Monsterkind gave her. She didn't deserve to be in such a fortunate position with a huge castle and personal guards. But yet here she was, whether she thought she deserved it or not. She had people that cared, guards that bowed to her, and the greatest friend that she could ever ask for.

"P-Papyrus..." She wanted to say something to let him know that she deeply appreciated everything he had just said to her, but what could she say to match that? She wasn't good at emotional speeches anyway, unless a downward spiral was involved and that's never pleasant. Thankfully, Papyrus knew her well enough that he could see how much she appreciated it, both in her glistening eyes, and the bright smile that had graced her face.

"You're welcome." His voice was but a low whisper now as the two of them sat, their gazes upon each other and their faces just inches apart. It wasn't long before Alphys realised how close the two of them had gotten, and as a result, a noticeable blush appeared on her cheeks. Papyrus' smile simply widened a little, a hand reaching out and gently resting on top of hers.

"Alphys... I've-" But before he could get another word out, the doors to the Throne Room opened.

"Your majesty! Captain Papyrus!" Another Guard shouted, causing them both to look over, Papyrus in particular feeling a bit annoyed. "I apologise for the interruption, but there was an aftershock in Burnin'! Loose debris has fallen and a number of Guards have been injured!" Papyrus, knowing that this was a serious situation that had to take priority, stood back up and placed his helmet on.

"Understood, Guardsman. Return to Burnin' immediately. I will follow." Papyrus ordered.

"Yes, sir!" The Guard then sprinted out of the room. The Captain looked back at Alphys, giving a glance to Impact.

"I'll take care of him, Pap. You go and help those people." She smiled up at him while he gave a nod in return. As he was leaving however, Alphys called out to him. "Papyrus?" He didn't know what this habit was where people would stop him whenever he was leaving somewhere. Still, he would never ignore his Queen, and so stopped and turned his skull to look at her. "Please, be careful." He gave a slow nod, along with a warm smile.

"Of course, my Queen."

Once he had left, Alphys took a moment to think about what that strange moment was that they both shared. She placed a hand on her chest, feeling her soul pounding within it. This was something she would need to give some serious thought to, and likely something that was going to keep her awake at night. Regardless, she had a duty she needed to fulfil, and that had to come first.


	8. The First Step

**Greetings, all.**

 **This chapter was a struggle. I got writer's block halfway through it, which is partly why this took so much longer. On top of that, this week has just been a ball of stress rolling down a hill, picking up more stress and getting bigger: a katamari of stress, if you will.**

 **Anyway, a quick thanks again to Potato for the kind words! You are my favourite spud.**

 **Arby**

* * *

It was the most at ease he had ever felt. The room was dark and it was nearly silent. The only sound that he could hear, was her soft and steady breathing while she slept, curled up and held safely within his arms. His gaze was upon her, as it had been for probably hours now, watching as her form slowly rose and fell as she rested upon his chest. A gentle, loving smile crossed his face. How could something so simple mean so much? Every so often she would make a noise, a small whimper or a hum, but it would always make his smile widen and make him wonder how in the Underground he got so lucky as to be here now.

His eye sockets shot open. It took him a few seconds of staring at the ceiling for him to register what had happened. The Captain let out an agitated sigh as he sat up and rubbed his skull.

"Not that stupid dream again." He groaned. "Except... well, it's not stupid. It always feels nice and- No! Snap out of it, Papyrus! Damn it!" The sudden raise of his voice startled his faithful companion awake. Impact had been sprawled out next to him, or more accurately, was taking up most of the bed. He sat up and nuzzled his skull against Papyrus' arm, who then petted him in return. "I'm okay, buddy. I just don't get why I keep having that dream. I've never had a recurring dream before. So, why now?" Impact gave him a deadpan look. Even the skeletal dragon knew what was going on, so either Papyrus really had no idea, or he was pretending not to know just so he didn't have to admit it. "Don't look at me like that."

Papyrus got out of bed and began to get dressed, with Impact tilting his skull in confusion. "Well, I'm hardly gonna be able to sleep after that. I might as well take a walk or something, but there's no way I'm going to do that in just my boxers." He explained, the dragon's tail wagging madly at the mention of the holy 'walk'. Once dressed in a simple, white T-shirt and a longer pair of shorts, he got Impact's lead and the pair set off.

It had been a busy two weeks since the earthquake, and it was only now that things had calmed down and were almost back to normal. The majority of Papyrus' time, and that of a lot of the other Guards, was spent tidying up and repairing buildings in Burnin'. Undyne's house was unfortunately one of the heavier damaged places, meaning that she had been forced to stay elsewhere until everything was fixed. The guard-in-training didn't mind at all, and had been staying with Sans in the Lab. It was pretty much the longest sleepover she's ever had, and the short skeleton was definitely enjoying the company.

Speaking of the Lab, that's where Papyrus was headed. Sans was usually a bit of a night owl, staying awake until the early morning hours, so he figured that he would still be awake. When he got there, the door was obviously locked, but Papyrus knew the code to open it.

He walked inside, Impact following, to be greeted with darkness... almost. The computer screen was on and it was obvious that Grillby's show was playing. Maybe Sans had dozed off on the couch? Before he could go over and investigate however, a spear was launched at him, forcing Papyrus to drop to the ground and shout.

"Hey! Watch your damn magic!"

"Oh shit!" Came Undyne's voice from the couch as she hurried to her feet and flicked the light switch on the wall. "I'm so sorry, CP! I didn't know it was you! Please don't fire me! It was instinct!" The startled skeleton got to his feet and shushed her before her rambling got any worse.

"Calm down. It's a perfectly honest mistake. Actually, that wasn't a mistake. You were right to attack someone walking in here this late. My advise however: ALWAYS check your target, got it?"

"Yes, Captain!" She saluted before calming down. "What are you doing here this late anyway?" The fish Monster asked as she knelt down to pet Impact.

"First things first: what did you call me just now?" The tall skeleton asked as he went to sit on the couch, Undyne following and sitting next to him.

"Hm? Oh! I called you CP! That's my new nickname for you!" She spoke so proudly, as if this little name she had given him was a huge achievement. Papyrus stared at her blankly for a few moments before speaking.

"What does 'CP' even stand for?"

"Isn't it obvious? Captain Papyrus, duh." He nodded, agreeing that he really should've known that. Undyne tilted her head to the side. She noticed how tired he seemed and how... restless he was. "You didn't answer me: what are you doing here so late?"

"There's... something I need to just get off my chest. But before I say anything, I need you to promise me that you won't say a word to anyone, especially Sans. I'll never hear the end of it otherwise. Can you please promise me that?" Undyne didn't need to think about it. She gave a firm nod and gave him her full attention. Impact meanwhile, had simply gotten bored and curled up on the floor in front of the couch. It was long past his bed time.

"I'm all fins. Talk to me, CP. What's goin' on?" Papyrus wasn't used to that nickname yet, but pushed past it and began to speak.

"I... I think I'm in love with Alphys." Undyne just stared at him for the longest time, before taking a deep breath.

"FINALLY!" She yelled, scaring Papyrus and causing Impact to jump about 3ft off the ground. "...Sorry, that was insensitive."

"You think?" Papyrus spoke with a stern look. She smiled innocently and tried to get back on topic.

"I'm just so glad that you finally admitted it! In words too, and not just a look!" She seemed far more excited about it than Pap was, and Undyne noticed. "Hey, cheer up! This is awesome!"

"Is it?" There was something about how he said it that made Undyne's eyes widen, as if she was just told awful news. She didn't understand. "Think about it, Undyne. I have fallen in love with the Queen, who is basically my boss and the most powerful Monster down here, politically, I mean. Do you have any idea how frowned upon it is?"

"Hold on." Undyne butted in. "I'd understand all of this if you had only known her for a couple of weeks, but Pap, you've known her for years. You're her closest friend. You say that it's frowned upon, but is it illegal?"

"I mean, no but-"

"But nothing! So what if a few people got their heads up their asses, you and the Queen deserve to be happy! Plus, those few people won't stand a chance against the thousands that would be celebrating and jumping for joy! But even then, it's not about them. It's about you and Alphys. Toss this political crap aside and think about yourselves as people and not as just Captain and Queen." Papyrus listened to her every word, but it didn't seem to have any effect, or rather, it made him more nervous than he was before. "CP?"

"...I'm scared." Undyne blinked a few times. Did he just say those words? Did the great Captain Papyrus of the Royal Guard just admit that he was scared?

"Scared of what?" Undyne asked. She didn't get it. Papyrus was the strongest, most confident Monster of the Underground. What could he possibly be scared of?

"Being turned down." Papyrus spoke, his voice so fragile that the fish next to him almost didn't recognise it.

"Ooohhh..." That's when she realised. When it came to physical things, such as fighting or dealing with not-so-friendly people, that's where he excelled because he had plenty of experience and training in those areas, but when it came to emotions? Not so much. She could tell that this was Papyrus' first ever time feeling such strong emotions that weren't anger or hate, and it was a frightening thing if you didn't know what to do. She felt bad not having realised this sooner and instead placed him in the stereotype of super-strong, masculine, knight guy who wasn't allowed weaknesses. "You're scared of making yourself vulnerable only for her to hurt you, right?" Papyrus nodded, looking away as if he should be ashamed of himself. "Who said she was going to hurt you? Who said that she's going to turn you down? Have you stopped to consider the other side of this situation and the fact that she could accept your feelings and then you can both run off and be so stinkin' in love that it makes everyone else sick?"

Honestly, the thought of her saying 'yes' to him had only crossed his mind when he dreamt about it. Papyrus had never thought of the possibility while he was awake. It just seemed so out of reach.

"I don't want to risk our friendship. If she were to say no, then how would I face her after that?" Papyrus asked. Undyne took his hand in her own, a form of comfort he assumed.

"I won't lie to you, CP, it'll be awkward as shit at first, but it only has to stay that way if you let it. It'd take work to repair, but you two are so close that I don't think it would be an issue for long. She needs you, Pap, whether it's only as a friend or something more." She winked at him, because of course she would, which caused a light blush to appear on his cheekbones. Undyne was quick to notice and started to squeal happily.

"Shut up, I know it's there." Papyrus spoke, turning away as he felt his blush get worse out of embarrassment.

"You are so cute!" Undyne spoke happily, nudging him in the arm.

"I am not cute!" The skeleton Captain playfully argued. "I am strong and powerful! Nyeh!" He spoke, flexing his non-existent muscles.

"Okay, Pap. Sure." Undyne replied whilst giggling, causing Papyrus to give her a questioning look. "Anyway, we're losing track. My point is this: don't let your worries keep you from potential happiness. Think of the possibilities. A week from now, you could be snuggled up in bed with the cute lizard all curled up in your arms, and then you'll wonder what the hell you were thinkin' when your were worrying so much." Papyrus froze up for a minute. Her description just now was scarily similar to the dreams he'd been having, yet he hadn't actually described his dreams to her at all. Still, he was quick to brush the moment aside and re-focus.

"Thank you, Undyne. I'll think on it a little more, just to be sure, and then I'll make my choice."

"Awesome! For now though, maybe you should stay the night. Want the couch?" The fish asked as she went to get up, before Papyrus stopped her.

"Don't worry. I can take the floor and use Impact as a pillow. You need the couch more since you actually have muscle." He explained as he went over to said Blaster Dragon and laid down with him.

"As long as you're sure, CP. Night, nerd. Don't dream of Alphys too much." She teased as she went to turn the lights off before curling back up on the couch.

"Goodnight, Undyne." Papyrus replied as he stared aimlessly up at the dark ceiling, his thoughts unwilling to quieten down. He knew he wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight.


	9. Captain and Queen

**I shall just quietly place this chapter here. I know, it has been a while once again. I am about as consistent as the weather here and there are several reasons for that, but I will not ramble about them now.**

 **I really didn't want to rush this chapter however. This chapter is an important one (not saying that the others aren't) and I wanted to get it right. I hope I did a good job. I have been thinking about how to write this for a while, but just held off starting it. My mindset just wasn't in the right place, I guess.**

 **Anyway, it is finished and here now. I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Oh, and thank you to every single one of you who reads this. I am glad that you are here and I hope you are doing well.**

 **Arby**

* * *

It had been three days, though to Papyrus, it felt like several weeks.

He had wanted to make certain of his feelings, but also, he needed to prepare. If CP was going to face the Queen and tell her about such personal and intimate feelings, then he had to know what to say. The last thing he needed was to walk in, stare at her in silence for twenty seconds and then flee. He had put this off long enough. He was going to tackle this today.

Impact was with Undyne, and CP had just got done with his daily patrol. Papyrus now had some free time, which he was both looking forward to and dreading. That lingering fear of rejection still sat quietly in the back of his mind, chipping away at his confidence, but he would not listen to it.

For now, he had to focus on the task at hand, a task that he considered to be of vital importance regardless of the outcome. Should she say yes to him, then maybe, just maybe he could live life more than he normally would. Instead of just being a workaholic, which he was aware of, he could provide for someone, care for someone, and have them care for him in return. A partner that he could truly be himself with and not have to keep up a facade just to keep the peace. Should she say no however, then at least he wouldn't be wasting any more time wondering what could be if it wouldn't happen. He could move on after that, as painful as it would be.

As he swam within his thoughts, he didn't realise that he was already making his way to the Royal Castle. It was as if he was on auto-pilot, his legs carrying him while his mind was off elsewhere having a mental war with itself. However, it wasn't until he stepped on to castle grounds that his soul began to pound within his ribcage and the reality of the situation finally hit him. Papyrus was going to confess his love to Alphys. To her face. No turning back.

"Holy shit..." He mumbled to himself, his breathing a little heavy as his nervousness hit him like Undyne running full-sprint into the door of the lab, which she actually did on more than one occasion. The castle guards stood aside and allowed their Captain to pass while saluting him. He would give a light nod and they would continue with whatever they were doing. Papyrus soon would find himself at the Throne Room doors. He had been quietly hoping that he could take a minute to regain his internal composure, but that proved impossible as he had forgotten that two Guards stand at the doors for obvious reasons. They both gave him a nod and opened the doors for him, closing them again once he was inside.

Papyrus now got his moment of respite. His dearest Queen was sat on her Throne, seemingly lost in her thoughts, and thus, not noticing him. He stood for a few long moments, steadying his breathing and double-checking to make sure that he looked presentable. Only then, did he begin his approach.

Queen Alphys glanced up, and her blank face immediately turned into a warm smile while her beautiful eyes stared at him. He could never halt the smile upon his skull whenever he looked at her. It was as if all his problems were meaningless whenever he saw her smile like that. Once close enough, he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head, just as he would always do when in her presence.

"At ease, Captain." She spoke softly to him. Papyrus stood back up straight. "I apologise, but did I summon you here? I do not recall doing so." The Captain couldn't help but chuckle lightly.

"You did not, your Highness. I came here of my own will. There is something of importance that I need to discuss with you." To anyone, it would seem that Papyrus was perfectly calm and able to handle whatever was going on inside his head. To Alphys however, she could see the subtle signs that he was struggling with something. His lower jaw would move from side-to side, his teeth ever-so-slightly grinding together; his fingers would twitch, resisting the urge to fiddle with something; his eye lights wouldn't focus, and instead, would just look at her for a few seconds before glancing elsewhere, usually to the floor before looking back again.

"Papyrus." Her tone shifted, from formal and authoritative, to warm, friendly and understanding. "Are you okay? What's wrong?" She asked, almost reaching a hand out to him, but her nerves decided against it.

"I..." He hesitated, but mentally told himself that it was now or never. "I'm not sure if I am okay or not. All I know right now is that there is something you must know. Something that has been on my mind a lot lately. Something that I can no longer ignore or push aside." Alphys stayed quiet, giving Papyrus all the time he needed to speak. His gaze was suddenly upon her and his smile became almost shy. It was an expression she had never seen on him, and the words that came out of his mouth next were words that she never thought she would hear. "Alphys. My Queen, my leader, my friend. We have known each other for many years now, and we have grown together. You, into a strong and caring Queen that your subjects admire, and I, into a leader that keeps you, and those who live down here, safe. You have been my closest friend, seeing sides of me that I would not dare show anyone else. With you, I don't have to hide, I don't have to pretend. I can simply be me, and you have never once judged me or tried to change me. Words cannot express how thankful I am for you." By now, Alphys was already nearly in tears, her hands over her mouth as her lower jaw hung. No one had ever said words so beautiful to her before, and hearing them from Papyrus made them even more special. But she couldn't help but wonder; why was he saying these things now? She'd soon find out. "As of the past few months however, I have begun to feel different. It didn't matter if I was with you or just thinking about you. I would feel... warmth, but a different kind of warmth, a kind that I had never felt before. I'd be unable to focus, unable to eat, sleep, hold a conversation without zoning-out. Why? You. You have my attention constantly. You are in my thoughts during the day. You are in my dreams during the night. You have truly captured my soul and now? Now I have to tell you..." Alphys couldn't believe what she was hearing, and she hadn't the chance for her mind to catch up before he said it. "I love you, Alphys."

She sat there, staring wide-eyed up at her Captain as silent tears ran down her cheeks. He had kept his gaze locked upon her during that entire speech, only now having them drift to the floor as silence swept over them. The only thing being heard now was Alphys' unsteady breathing, and eventually, her fragile, emotional voice.

"Oh, Papyrus..." He could not deny the pleasant tingle that ran up his spine as she said his name. Never before had he heard it dance so gracefully, than when it left her lips. "My Captain. My dearest Captain. W-we have worked together f-for so long, known each other for even longer. Our bond was certain to s-strengthen as time progressed, and I am s-so glad that it has. I am certain th-that the Underground wouldn't be anywhere near as safe as it is today w-without you leading the Guard. But that safety has risks, Papyrus." Chills had begun to out-weigh the blissful sensation. The Queen had not stuttered in front of him this badly in a long time, and that only amplified his anxiety. Nevertheless, he remained stood straight and confident, allowing his Queen to speak as a good Captain should. "You s-swore your life to the people th-that live down here. These people and th-their lives depend on you, m-me and the rest of the Guard. We are the spinal cord, k-keeping this society standing strong against any and all th-threats." She stopped for a few moments, taking a breath that Papyrus was sure she needed. He remained silent, just as she did for him a few minutes ago. "I-I admire your honesty, b-but w-we have bigger priorities, Captain. Y-your life is devoted to the Guard and the people it protects. Sh-should something h-happen to you…" He could hear her voice faltering, Papyrus' soul breaking along with it. "I-I would be devastated, a-and that w-would not allow me t-to perform my task as Queen. I am s-sorry, Papyrus, b-but you are my Captain, a-and you shall remain that way."

An agonising silence fell between the two. Papyrus couldn't speak, for his voice had been robbed from him, and his thoughts were nothing but shambles as his chest ached. Queen Alphys felt that she had said enough. No, she could see that she had conveyed her point by the look of hurt that her Captain fought to keep hidden. But she knew him. She knew him well enough that given another second, he would have cried in front of her. "Y-you are dismissed." She finished, the Captain turning on his heel and walking swiftly out.

The two Guards outside looked to their Captain as he walked out, slamming the large doors behind him.

"Sir?" One of them asked, the other staying quiet. Papyrus was clearly not okay, unable to completely hide his true emotions for the first time ever. His eye sockets were shut tight for a few moments, his skull lowered as he breathed deeply. He soon stood up straight, a stern look upon him as he opened his eye sockets. He looked at neither of them as he spoke, his voice low and cold.

"I will be going on leave for a while. Inform the Lieutenant that they are in charge while I am away. I do not know when I will return. Understood?"

"Yes, Captain." The Guard responded, saluting. Papyrus did nothing but nod before teleporting as far from the castle as he could.

Captain and Queen, and that is all they shall be.


	10. Damage Control

**Here you go, a freshly cooked chapter with a thin, crispy crust and extra cheese. I may or may not be hungry right now. This chapter came out longer than I had expected, which I'm pleasantly surprised by. The reptiles say hi, even though they're both asleep right now.**

 **Hope you enjoy and I hope you're all doing well.**

 **Arby**

* * *

"pap! papyrus! open up!" Sans yelled, finally stopping his fist from bashing against his brother's front door.

"Sans, its been an hour. He ain't opening up." Undyne told him, a worried look upon her.

"its been a week. i dunno if he's eaten, i dunno if he's-"

"This is Papyrus we're talking about, the great CP. He wouldn't act so drastically." The fish Monster spoke, both trying to calm Sans and herself.

"but he's never been through something even close to this before. i know him enough to know that he has no idea on how to handle this. he's probably in there trying to apply reason to emotions that he doesn't understand."

"He's not an idiot though. He's probably just in bed sleeping the pain away. I'd be doing that too, so would you." Undyne placed a hand on his shoulder, the short skeleton letting out a loud sigh.

"i guess..." While they had been talking, little Impact had been scratching at the front door and whining, desperately missing his companion and owner. He had even tried to fly, but simply wasn't strong enough yet. Undyne picked him up and cuddled him as a form of comfort. Impact fell silent and snuggled into her. "why the hell would she say no to him?!"

"Sans..."

"seriously! is she too good for him or something? does he need to be best friends with her, to be close with her, to be there no matter the time or place? oh wait a minute, he's already done all of that!"

"Sans! Enough!" Undyne commanded, her discipline training coming into use. "I know you're upset and angry, but shitting on Alphys isn't gonna solve anything. We need to know her side of all this."

"i'd ask if you let me talk to her, you know."

"I told you before, and I'll tell you again; you need to calm down first so that you can _talk_ to her and not scream at her." The guard-in-training reminded him while she gently pet the small-ish dragon in her arms. "Look, we're getting nowhere by just standing here. Let's head back to the Lab, yeah?" Sans let out another sigh, something that he had been doing a lot of this past week. Still, he nodded and reluctantly followed her back to Coldland.

Meanwhile, Papyrus laid upon his messy bed. Sheets were tossed around, partially on the floor from his restless nights. He let out a sigh of relief when the front door went quiet, realising that the pair had left again. The Captain stared at the ceiling, his mind deep in emotional chaos as he tried to make sense of it all. Why was he this upset over a relationship that he never had? Why couldn't he just get up and be normal and get back to his job? Why did it hurt so damn much? These questions had plagued him while he was awake, but morphed into nightmares when he slept. Sans was right; he didn't understand any of it. To Papyrus, this was an illness, like a cold or a fever, that needed a lot of bed rest and hydration so that the immune system could conquer it. The tall skeleton had no idea how to cope with this, never mind actually get over it.

Reluctantly, he summoned his soul within the palm of his hand. Oh, how pale and fragile it looked. While normally bright orange in colour, it was now so lacking that it seemed almost grey. It shocked him, frightened him even, that emotions alone could change a soul so drastically.

This would continue on for another week, with Papyrus surviving on what food he had in the fridge and eating as little as possible. Sans would be watching the cameras obsessively, hoping that Papyrus would emerge, while Undyne decided to stay at the Lab with him to make sure he was alright.

Alphys had actually dared to visit the Lab, wondering where Papyrus was. She was deeply worried and hoped that Sans could inform her on whether or not he was okay. Sans however, had lost it the moment he saw her, causing Undyne to step in and use green magic on him to keep him from running and doing something that he would regret later.

"You d-don't understand. The people h-have to come first." Alphys tried to tell him, her efforts to try and halt her stutter failing miserably.

"don't give me that crap!" Undyne was quietly shocked. She had never heard Sans yell this loudly before. "you know damn well that the people down here would be supportive of you both! hell, they'd be celebrating! it'd be a spark of hope!"

"S-Sans, you aren't m-making this any easier..." Alphys spoke, her voice shaky as her hand fiddled with the edge of her sleeve.

"good! maybe then you'll see what you've done! you hurt my brother! badly! he's been locked up in his house for the past two fucking weeks because of you!" Upon hearing this, Alphys seemed to gain some form of confidence, a stern look upon her as she looked at him.

"I need to go see him." This however, only ticked off the skeleton more.

"like hell you are." He growled, his voice suddenly low and hostile. "i won't let you near him. you've done enough."

"Sans, I understand that you care deeply for your brother, and I also understand that your opinion of me is a negative one, but you cannot stop me from travelling to Sandfall." Alphys told him clearly without a stutter to be heard. Sans was just moments from losing his temper with her once again when he heard the door behind him open. The fish and skeleton glanced at each other with confusion before looking. Shock appeared of the faces of all three when they saw a tall, armoured skeleton stood in the doorway.

Impact was the first to react, getting to his feet from his little bed in the corner and sprinting across the room like a small rocket, before leaping up at CP, who caught him with one arm as if it was second nature to him. The dragon snuggled into him, his tail now a blur as it wagged so fast.

"Papyrus!" Undyne greeted, smiling at him, only for it to slowly vanish as he walked in and the lower half of his face became visible under the bright laboratory lights. Sans had remained silent the entire time, completely forgetting that Alphys was there. CP approached the pair, doing nothing except giving them a nod before walking past them and to the Queen.

The little lizard tried to hide it, but she was intimidated by him now. After such a painful conversation, Alphys had no idea how he'd react to seeing her again, even after two weeks, so having a 7ft skeleton dressed head-to-toe in armour walking towards her was quietly terrifying. His face was blank. It was impossible to tell if he was angry, upset, neutral or a mix of them and others.

"I have patrolled Burnin and Sandfall, your Majesty. All seems to be well with no crimes to report." Papyrus spoke in a serious voice. Alphys' jaw hung a little. Of all the things she expected him to say to her, a report was not one of them. Where was the anger? The resentment? Any emotion at all?

"P-Papyrus? Are you okay?" She quietly asked, looking up at him with concern clear on her face.

"I am on my way to Greener Home now to inform the Lieutenant that I am no longer on leave." Alphys blinked a few times. Did she actually ask where he was going? No. No she hadn't.

"Papyrus-"

"I shall report to you at the castle when you arrive." It was as if he wasn't hearing anything she was saying, or he was choosing to ignore her. Regardless, she was extremely worried about him. He handed Impact back to Undyne, who had since released Sans from her magic. He petted his companion before leaving the lab.

"Pap-" He didn't even acknowledge that she had called his name again, and just left without another word. Alphys had never felt hurt like it. Was this how Papyrus felt? It was as if their close bond had just been reset back to zero, and the trust they had built together was nothing more than smouldering ashes upon the ground. She slowly turned to Undyne and Sans, the former looking back at her with worry, while the latter didn't look at her at all. Impact whined whilst in Undyne's arms, clearly noticing the silent distress that his master felt, but wouldn't dare show. Alphys said nothing else and quietly left the Lab.

Alphys rushed back to the castle in a manner that she hoped wasn't obvious. The last thing anyone needed was the public to realise that something had happened between the pair of them. It would only spread like wildfire, and Grillby would over-exaggerate every little detail for more views of his show, making it all sound so much worse than it actually was, not to say that it wasn't awful right now.

Her footsteps echoed through the long corridors as she approached the throne room. She smiled at the guards as she walked past, entering the two huge doors and stopping when she saw a familiar figure stood next to the throne.

Papyrus stared at her. It was unnerving to say the least. Still, she approached and sat down, the Captain moving so that she stood a short distance in front of her. Try as she might, she couldn't look him in the eye sockets.

"Y-you may speak..." She eventually said, her voice quiet.

"Greener Home has had a few minor crimes, all of which were robberies. A jewellery store, an electronics store, and a grocery store. The last one worries me the most. All that was taken was food. It would seem that the amount of Monsters here in the city is starting to get too much now." The Captain explained, though Alphys was well aware of this already.

"I am already d-doing everything I can. M-more apartment buildings are being built as we speak."

"Even so, I fear that the overflow will be too much, even if many were to move to other areas of the cavern. Coldland and Sandfall would be far too hazardous due to the quicksand pits and falling stalactites respectively, which would place the homeless population in Burnin, where there is very little room. My suggestion would be to cut down trees. They are long since burned anyway. However, the locals still seem to like their dead forest so they may not be pleased to have it taken, only to be replaced with building after building just like in the city. The wood we gain from it would be of little use also, due to how charred it is." Alphys, though she wouldn't admit it, wasn't fully paying attention to what he was saying. Instead, she was trying to read his body and figure out what he was feeling. He stood straight and still, while his arms were folded across his chest. He was closed off with a stern look that acted as a warning to her to not push her luck.

"I see..."

"Still, just a suggestion. Do what you want. I'm just the Captain, after all." Alphys immediately looked up at him. He had never spoken to her like that before and had never brushed her off in such a way that she felt it in her soul.

"P-Papyrus?"

"I must go. I have things I need to do." The tall skeleton turned and headed for the door. The Queen was at a loss. It was as if he had done a complete one-eighty. He had been in love with her before, but now he suddenly felt nothing? All in just two weeks? No. She knew him better than that. After some thought, she knew that he was in a lot of pain and there was no way she was going to let him leave while knowing this.

"Papyrus!" She cried out to him, causing him to halt in his tracks, his back to her still. It was how her voice sounded that had stopped him. He could hear how emotional she was, he could hear the pain. She got off her throne and approached him until she was stood behind him. "P-Please... turn around... t-talk to me..." The little lizard begged, tears already running down her face as she looked up to the back of his helmeted skull. After a few seconds, he did turn around, still with the same look upon him.

"About what?" He asked, his tone suddenly low.

"About... about h-how you're feeling. D-don't hide from me... please..."

"Why? What's the point? You've already made it clear that nothing can happen."

"I-I know... but that doesn't mean our friendship up until now is suddenly dust. W-we may not be together, but th-that doesn't mean that y-you don't mean the world to me. D-do I still mean anything to you?" Truthfully, she was scared to ask that, fearing that he would turn and say that she could die for all he cared. Of course, that was her anxiety talking, and Papyrus, even now, would never say that to her.

"Of course you do." The Captain's expression finally softened. He even took off his helmet, revealing just how tired he actually looked. Alphys wondered if he had slept at all in the past two weeks. "I'm just hurt. Maybe I got my hopes up too high, but I really thought we'd be great together. Every dream I have had of you was a good one. We would be cuddling each other in bed. The room would be dark and all either of us would hear was the other breathing. I would always feel a sense of peace whenever that dream came along, and it gave me hope that there was something more to life than just work and sleep. I admit that I had feared being rejected for a long time, but I was never truly prepared for it. Maybe in time I'll fall for another? But as of right now, I see myself with no one, except for you." It hurt. All of it hurt. She felt awful for what she had done to him. There was so much guilt upon her soul that she fell to her knees and hid her sobbing face within her hands.

"I'm s-sorry! I'm so, so s-sorry!" She cried, her voice muffled and broken. Papyrus seemed shocked by her reaction, but then sighed and knelt down, picking her up in his arms and holding her close, allowing her to cry into his armoured chest. He walked over to her throne and sat in it, resting her on his lap while he held her and rubbed her back comfortingly. He said nothing for now, allowing her to let out all of those horrid emotions that had been eating away at her.

After some time, she looked up at him. Papyrus smiled and brought a hand up to wipe away any stray tears upon her face.

"W-was... was I wrong?" She asked, causing Papyrus to raise a non-existent brow.

"Wrong about what?"

"About turning you down." He sat there, completely silent for a few long moments.

"I don't understand, Alphys." He spoke honestly.

"I mean... the people down h-here w-will always come first. Th-they have to, but... but losing you, even in just that moment hurt more than anything I have ever gone through in my life. My soul felt heavy and it ached knowing that you're hurting, especially when I had caused that. I don't want to lose you. Ever. I sh-should have realised that sooner instead of putting you through this. I'm so sorry..." Papyrus was speechless. His soul wanted to interpret her words as a change of mind, but his brain wouldn't let him get his hopes up, not yet anyway. "Y-yes, the p-people come first, for both you and I, but maybe... maybe w-we can put them first t-together?" She smiled up at him for a split-second before blushing and hiding her face in her hands. "I'm so s-sorry, that sounded s-so much better in my head. I'm n-not good at this. D-damn it..." His soul pounded in his chest as he heard her say those words. He couldn't believe it. Was he dreaming? Had she really changed her mind?

The throne room doors burst open as one of the guards came rushing in. He was panting, nearly collapsing on the floor with how exhausted and panicked he looked. Both Alphys and Papyrus looked at him with confused faces until he spoke.

"Captain! Sir! Human! In Burnin! Killing everyone!" Papyrus immediately went into Captain mode.

"Is Sans aware?" He asked.

"Yes, sir. He's already ordering the evacuation as we speak."

"Gather as many as you can and aid in the evacuation. I will head to Burnin." He ordered. The Guard nodded and ran out of the room.

"P-Papyrus?" Alphys spoke, fear now on her face knowing that her dearest Captain would have to face a being stronger than everyone down here combined. He placed her gently on the throne and smiled, lifting her hand and planting a soft kiss upon it, causing her to blush deeply.

"Do not fear, my Queen. I will be back before you know it."

"Be careful." She told him before he got up and teleported out of the room.


	11. Surprise!

**Hey! Its been a bit, huh? Okay, its been nearly 10 months. A lot of bad has happened and is currently happening, but I have a chapter here and an explanation. I'll try to keep it brief.**

 **First off, the event that started this hiatus: my pet Chameleon, Sage. He was very sick last summer, and despite my best efforts, it was decided that due to his age, the kindest thing for him was to put him to sleep. That was, without a doubt, the hardest decision I've ever had to make, and it was that choice that put everything on the back burner for a while. He'd been my best friend and companion for 6 years, so it hit really hard. Rest in peace, Sage, my precious scaly boy xx**

 **Second, I tried to write but everything I wrote just felt off. I have written this chapter (and the next) over and over but I never felt happy with it until last week when I realised I didn't have to go down the path that I had picked for this little story. It seems obvious now, but in the fog of grief, I had no idea and just kept hitting a metaphorical brick wall.**

 **Anyway, I have a chapter now and another one ready for next week some time. I hope you're all doing well during this difficult time. Stay Determined!**

 **P.S. Zeus the 7ft Bullsnake is perfectly fine. He says hi!**

 **P.S.S. My hard drive never got fixed. I lost nearly everything (this happened right after Sage passed away too). The only reason I still have this story is because of this site. So, thank you for saving my butt on that one.**

 **Arby xx**

* * *

The skeleton Captain arrived on the Burnin' border and sprinted towards the town. He was keeping his eye sockets peeled for the human, though he wasn't certain what they looked like. As he got to the edge of town however, his pace ground to a halt.

Upon the ground just ahead was Sans, laying very still with a chilling red stain upon his jacket. CP rushed forward and knelt at his side, a mixture of emotions upon his skull.

"Brother?!" Papyrus spoke in a desperate tone, gently shaking his older brother until he slowly looked up at him.

"n-no time, bro... t-tori..." He spoke, his voice conveying the pain he was in.

"But-"

"they're in there, bro... y-you need to s-stop them..." Sans pointed frantically at the building just next to them. CP looked over, seeing nothing through the large windows, not even any form of light. CP nodded as a determined look crossed his face before getting up and marching over to the door. He took a deep breath and in one swift movement, summoned his sword and kicked the door open. Papyrus took just a single step inside before...

"SURPRISE!" The lights were flicked on and he was greeted with Undyne, Impact, Toriel, almost everyone in town even. CP needed a moment to process it all. His day had gone from being unfathomably depressed, to unreasonably angry, to having hope and butterflies, to untold fear, to this? It was a lot, and his face must have been the picture of confusion as he stood there silently.

Undyne was the one to approach him, cheerful as ever, and try to drill it into his skull.

"Hey CP! We threw you a surprise party! It's your birthday!"

"My what?" He spoke, his tone of voice matching his expression perfectly.

"You know, your birthday... the day you were born." Undyne explained.

"No, I know what a birthday is, I just... I thought there was a human! I thought people were dying!"

"Pap, that was to get you here. Come on, if we came up to you and asked you to come to Burnin' then you'd be on to us immediately. You're real sharp for that kind of shit, ya know?"

"Language!" Spoke Toriel sternly. Undyne chuckled nervously and apologised. Today was not the day to anger Food Mom.

"It's just a bit much to go from mass genocide to this." CP admitted, causing Undyne to nod.

"That's fair, but you can relax Pap! Happy birthday!" Undyne chirped happily, with everyone else following in wishing him the same.

"Wait, what about-" He turned, only to see Sans in the doorway, smiling with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"i'm fine, bro. laying down anywhere is something that i'm masterful at. oh, and this is just ketchup." Sans explained, causing CP's bottom jaw to hang ever-so-slightly, mentally questioning how he didn't notice. Then again, he was caught up in thinking there was a genocidal human, so he supposed he could let himself off for missing such things. "anyway, shouldn't we be celebrating?" Sans spoke up, bringing everyone's focus back on to the surprise party.

"Hell yeah! Let's go!" Undyne sang, going over to the jukebox and turning it on. That seemed to help the slight awkwardness from before and everyone quickly began chatting, getting food and drinks and beginning to relax.

Once CP was sat down and with a much-needed cup of tea in his hand, he began to open presents. Undyne, as per usual, was insistent on opening hers first. She handed a circular object to him, completely wrapped, which he had to use both hands to open since the fish sentry had somehow sealed it shut with some kind of super-glue or something. Eventually, he pulled out a bright red, leather collar from the wrapping paper and gave Undyne a concerned look.

"I uh... had no idea you thought of me like that um..." Sans burst into laughter, spitting his drink out all over himself while Undyne... needed a moment to get it.

"What? I don't- OH EW!" Her sudden realisation only had Sans laughing harder, to the point where he fell off of his seat and on to the floor. "No! Look at the name tag!" CP chuckled lightly and turned the collar around to see a little golden plate with 'IMPACT' engraved on to it.

"Wow, Undyne! This is really nice." Papyrus spoke, smiling at her.

"Made it myself actually! I know he'll grow out of it, but then I'll just make another!" The excited fish spoke proudly.

"Thank you, Undyne! You like it, buddy?" The tall skeleton held it out to him, the not-so-small Blaster dragon sniffing it and then hopping happily on the spot. "I think that's a yes."

"Oh! Can I put it on him?!" CP nodded at Undyne's request, picking up the bundle of bones and holding him still until the collar was placed nicely around the dragon's neck. It was probably the most careful CP had ever seen Undyne. He looked somehow even more adorable with this little addition. "It's perfect! I mean, I knew it would be, but to actually see it is just so cool!" The fish lady praised herself, while Papyrus nodded in agreement before turning to his brother.

"Did you get me anything? It's okay if you didn't." He spoke beforehand, knowing that his brother wasn't the greatest with remembering birthdays, not even his own. They both figured that it was just a family trait. Sans paused for a moment.

"uh... i got you this party?" He spoke nervously, but thankfully, CP found it to be amusing.

"How thoughtful! Thank you, Sans." The skeleton Captain praised as Sans let out a sigh of relief. "Wait, how did you know I'd show up? When did you plan this?"

"eh, you know me bro. i just kinda wing it. sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. speaking of unexplained things, i got somethin' for ya, but it's not from me. i'm just the delivery boy." Sans informed him as he handed his younger brother a small box wrapped neatly with a little bow ribbon stuck to the top. Papyrus looked intrigued by the gift. He inspected it for a moment before carefully pulling the paper off, mentally noting that this one was far easier to open. The box was navy blue in colour and looked to be brand new. Being gentle as to not damage anything, CP opened it up to find a silver locket with a matching silver chain so that it could go around his neck.

"This is beautiful. Who is it from?"

"you'll see, bro. open it up." Sans suggested, nodding to the locket. Papyrus undid the tiny lock on the side and opened the locket up, revealing a picture that he recognised. It was a photo of himself with Alphys stood at his side, both of them smiling brightly.

"I... I remember this. This was the day I finally got promoted to Captain. This was at the ceremony." CP's voice had softened considerably. It was clear that this gesture was meaningful to him.

"Wait a sec." Undyne spoke up suddenly. "Did Alphys give you that? I thought you hated her?" She asked Sans, getting CP's attention and also looking over to the short skeleton.

"yeah i don't agree with her and i'm certainly not about to be buds after what she put you through."

"But?" Undyne verbally nudged Sans to continue.

"but... she cares for you, bro. she'd have been here personally to give that to ya, but since this was so last minute, she couldn't make it."

"I will be sure to thank her when I next see her... and thank you, brother, for putting your emotions aside to do this for her."

"eh, it cheered ya up so it was worth it."

"Are we gonna party now?!" Undyne spoke at an unnecessarily loud volume.

The night went on without a hitch, everyone enjoying themselves with food, drink and good laughs right up until closing time. Undyne insisted on having Impact for the night, which CP didn't mind. He needed to start catching up on some sleep, but as he laid there in his room, nothing but darkness and the faint silhouettes of his furniture, his mind couldn't help but drift back to earlier in the day.

Had Alphys really changed her mind or was she just falling apart from all her emotions? After these past few weeks, his mental state was still a little fragile and he couldn't allow himself to accept that she really had chosen to be with him. Thinking about it hurt.

It was then that he remembered why he left at all. She must've known about the party, right? She knew there was no human, right? She wasn't still up thinking there was one, right?

"Of course not. Sans told her all of this beforehand." He spoke out loud to himself to get his mind to settle down. In truth, that wasn't what was bothering him. It was the fact that he didn't know what they were right now. Were they together or weren't they? It was then that he found himself getting up, dressed and heading out, on his way to the castle.


	12. Wanted Attention

**Greetings, all!**

 **I know, two uploads in two weeks. What world is this? I had this one already written up, so that's why. That being said, I don't have any others written, but I do have ideas listed, so that's something.**

 **I don't have much to say this time so I'll just drop this chapter and get back to Animal Crossing because it has taken over my life.**

 **Hope you all are safe and I'll see you soon!**

 **Arby**

* * *

CP somewhat made haste to the castle. He wanted to get there before it was too late, but he also didn't want to seem like he was in a hurry either. What if she was already asleep? What if him showing up suddenly made him look like an idiot? What if he was thinking about it too much? Before he could question himself into an early grave, he had made it to the entrance of the castle.

By the door stood two of the Guards, both of which almost didn't recognise Papyrus without his armour on. They blocked the door with their spears for a just a moment before realising.

"Oh! Our apologies, Captain!" One of them spoke, the other staying quiet and simply nodding.

"That's quite alright. I'm probably the last person you were expecting to see. I'm just here to talk to Alphys." Papyrus briefly explained, his tone as unreadable as it usually was.

"Not a clue if she's still awake, Captain. Must be urgent." The same Guard spoke, gesturing for him to enter. The skeleton said nothing more and nodded before walking inside. He headed straight for her private living quarters, knowing that she wouldn't be in the throne room at this hour. He ran into a couple more Guards on the way there, each of them saluting once they realised they were in the presence of their Captain. Papyrus would nod and continue on his way until making it to the door of Alphys' bedroom.

It was now that he realised he had no idea what to say to her. Should he just be blunt and get straight to the point or should he try to ease it into the conversation naturally? Though knowing her, she'd ask why the hell he was here at all. He could work from that. CP quietly knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Spoke Alphys from the other side in her formal voice.

"Papyrus." He told her simply. A moment of silence followed before the click of the door unlocking, then the slow opening as Alphys' face peered around to look at him.

"Hey." She greeted, her tone much more relaxed now knowing it was him. "What brings you here at this hour? I-I mean, it's nice to see you." A light blush graced her cheeks as she glanced away from him.

"I couldn't sleep. Can we talk?"

"O-oh, sure. Come in." She opened the door fully and stood aside, allowing him entry. She wasted no time in closing and locking the door again. Security mattered to her and he was aware of that. If anything, he was glad that she took her own safety seriously. It certainly made his job, and that of the Royal Guard, a bit easier.

Alphys' room, while very nice, wasn't as over-the-top as many would think. It was fairly spacious with a large, king-size, canopy bed in the centre that had a night stand on either side, each having a lamp upon it. On the opposite wall as said bed was a flat-screen TV that hung above a fireplace, a three-seater couch just in front with a coffee table between them. There was a desk and swivel chair in the corner next to a set of doors that led to the balcony which overlooked Greener City. It had a red and gold theme to it, making the room feel warm and cosy despite its large size.

"So..." CP began, leaning against the back of the couch with his arms loosely folded. "Turns out there was no human."

"Oh r-really?" Alphys turned to look at him, a small smile upon her that made it obvious that she knew that already, but chose to play along as did CP.

"Yeah, and everyone is perfectly fine. It was actually part of an elaborate plan to get me to Burnin and throw me a surprise party." He explained, a similar smile upon his own face.

"W-wow, what a turn of events." She spoke in 'shock' as she began to approach the tall skeleton.

"I know! Who saw that coming?" He talked as his gaze watched her every move until she was stood right in front of him.

"I see you have a nice n-new locket around your neck." Alphys pointed out.

"Ah, yes. This was one of the presents I got, but it didn't say who it was from."

"M-may I look?" CP nodded at her request, allowing her to reach for the locket and open it up, revealing the picture that she had so carefully put inside. Her soft smile widened, conveying warmth as she lightly ran a finger over the picture. "I remember this." She spoke in a softer, quieter tone.

"As do I. That was an exciting day for everyone. Who knew that we'd be here now?" This prompted Alphys to look up into his gaze, her cheeks going considerably red upon realising just how close they were. CP's arms unfolded and a hand came up to gently stroke the side of her face. "This isn't like you." The Captain whispered. "You usually shy away from such attention." Her blush deepened, but she held her ground.

"Usually. But this is attention from you, and I've wanted that for years." Now it was CP's turn to blush, his cheekbones going orange, the same colour as his soul. Alphys couldn't help but giggle playfully. "W-was that too forward?"

"N-not at all. That was very smooth and caught me completely off-guard so..." He trailed off, fanning his skull with his free hand while Alphys hid her burning face into his chest. After a moment, CP carefully placed a hand beneath her chin and lifted until their gazes met. They were both a blushing mess at this point since they were very aware of what was about to happen as their faces inched closer.

"Your highness?" Came the voice of one of the Guards suddenly along with loud knocking. Both of them jumped and backed away from each other.

"Wh-what is it, Guardsman?" She called back.

"The Captain entered the castle some time ago, but doesn't seem to have left. For security reasons, your majesty, can you confirm or deny that he is in there with you?" Alphys held her chest, her soul pounding as she looked to CP, who was doing the exact same whilst lightly hitting his skull against the nearest wall.

"Y-yes, he is in here. He will be staying the night as s-some important things need to be discussed." She told the Guard. CP turned in silent surprise. He was staying the night it seemed.

"Understood, your highness. I will take my leave."

"Goodnight, Guardsman." It fell silent besides the footsteps that were walking away until there was nothing. "A-are you okay? That scared me a little too."

"It was unexpected, yes." He told her, taking a deep breath. "So, I'm staying the night?"

"Is that okay? It is very late and we still haven't talked about what you wanted to talk about."

"Oh, that..." He rubbed the back of his neck, now leaning against the same wall that he was smacking his skull against. "I... I just wanted to figure out where we were. This morning you seemed to have changed your mind about 'us' and then just now we almost..."

"I know." Alphys spoke as CP trailed off.

"I guess I just need to know if you meant all of that before. You seem to be back and forth, Alphys. I want an answer. An answer that is undeniable." The shorter lizard looked to him, slowly approaching while Papyrus simply watched, her form making it across the room until stopping right in front of him.

"I think I can do that." Without hesitation, Alphys reached her hands up and placed them on CP's cheekbones, pulling his face down until their mouths met. The skeleton could at least keep up this time as his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close, not daring to let her go for anything. Their souls beat hard within their chests, feelings of warmth and excitement being conveyed to each other. It felt as if time had stopped completely around them while they were like this, sharing this moment of intimacy that CP, at the very least, had dreamed of for a very long time.

Reluctantly, the pair pulled away, lightly panting as their foreheads rested against each other.

"That was... wow..." Papyrus spoke, trailing off as he was unable to focus. "It was as if you were a whole new person just then. No fear, no anxiety, no nerves... just you."

"I d-don't know what c-came over me just then, b-but it was... nice. R-really nice. I g-guess being that close with you h-helps my confidence." Alphys quietly explained, her hands moving from Papyrus' face and travelling down his arms until they linked with his hands. "S-still though, let's not go t-too quickly. H-how about we rest? It is late after all."

"I agree. We can talk more in the morning." The Captain spoke with a nod as Alphys let go of him and walked over to her bed, climbing in. He was about to ask if he should sleep on the couch, until he saw Alphys patting the spot next to her. He smiled and walked over, taking off his outer wear until he was only in a t-shirt and boxers before climbing in next to her.

It was only after he was comfortable did she turn out the lamp and snuggle up to him, placing an arm across him while her head rested on his chest. She let out a contented sigh while Papyrus smiled down at her, placing a gentle kiss on top of her head. It was now that CP had a flashback to all those dreams he had of this exact scenario. This was real. This was really happening. His jaw hung open for a short while as reality took hold. He was really here, with Alphys really cuddling with him, the only sound now being their breathing.

He was happy.


End file.
